Adriana Gastélum

The Art of Packing

To know how to pleasantly travel doesn’t have to be expensive, every season airlines have discounts which you can easily take advantage right now, like KLM airlines Dream Deals offer with special prices from now until 07/09/2015 to 80 destinations all over the world and from which I’ll take advantage to visit my family in San Diego within this year.

Another way of saving up a bit more is to bring a small carry-on suitcase with you, of course, in order to accomplish such a big achievement you need to know how to pack.

Packing is an art that goes beyond the little trick our grandma told us about folding the clothes in a special way to save up space (although this is one of my favorite thing to do when flying to fashion week); packing is more a matter of managing garments, accessories and personal care products to only bring the true essentials and avoid to end up carrying three suitcases at the airport, which let’s be honest, is not chic unless you have someone to carry them for you.

On my last trip to Lisbon I planned every outfit carefully so I could bring a small carry-on, a beach bag and a hat that almost needed its own plane ticket, and while I didn’t repeat clothes everyday, I packed a few pieces whose simplicity and versatility made them wearable from day to night and for sleeping in them.

Start by putting aside your favorite outfits from which you are a hundred percent sure you will wear, and set aside the garments that you’re not completely sure of. If by the end of the packing process you end up with leftover space you may include them, otherwise I’ll not recommend it as I personally prefer to have some extra space in case I want to go shopping. Try to make as many combinations as possible with your favorite pieces and don’t forget to pack a jacket, ’cause you never know.

Know the place you’re going to and what’s your plan. Lisbon’s a city which topography makes impossible the use of any kind of heels and my intentions were to walk a lot, so I brought two pairs of shoes: a pair of rhinestoned sandals and a pair of simple espadrilles that match almost everything in my suitcase. Of course, if your intentions include night life and parties, include a pair of high heels.

4. The true essentials
Our personal care products are mostly the reason of why we sometimes end up exceeding our weight limit at the airport. Bring with you the make-up products you’re completely sure you’ll use, if you can skip brushes don’t include them and use your hands instead. Two lipsticks, two shades of eyeshadow and the timeless eyeliner. That’s really all you need.

As an addict to beauty products I’m not stranger to the feeling of wanting to take with me the whole beauty cabinet with my day cream, night cream, eye cream, serum, toner, the occasional pimple cream and a big etcetera. My recommendation is to take with you the small bottles from hotels and reuse them with your own creams, shampoos and all that we girls (and boys too, why not) need. This will also avoid a big accident in case a bottle spills, you won’t loose all of your expensive serum.